High Sierra Topix

Howdy, new to the forum and relatively new to the Sierras.

Im planning a trip to silver divide/ lake edison area in mid/late june and was trying to save weight and $$ and not get a tent (also the idea of open skies is very appealing). Certainly bringing decent pad, bag, and tarp but wondering if i should bring a tent also? any suggestions?

Fishytodd wrote:Im planning a trip to silver divide/ lake edison area in mid/late june ... but wondering if i should bring a tent also? any suggestions?

Oh sure, you cold not bring a tent, but this year, that time period would land you smack dab in the middle of mosquito season, the worst of which lasts about a month. If you insist on being mosquito bait, get one of those hoop and net things for your sleeping bag so you have at least one refuge from the flying bloodsuckers. And I know for a fact that area has its share of skeeters.

More on that area:
http://www.sierra-trails.com/sliver/stcoverv1n11.htm

Good luck!

Yes you can use a tarp, but as mentioned youll be in skeeter
season.
I was looking for adventure16's site to recommend there product
but I guess there not around any more. Guess my pop net has become
a collectors item!
The way your asking I have to ask, have you ever tarped before?
If not, tarp tents are light(under2lbs) and will give you bug ,wind and
rain protection at $215.
Checkout tarptent.com for example.
You can also use a bug or regular bivyw/net combo with you tarp.

Welcome to the forum! I have many times gone 'tentless' - just a tarp. If your not experienced with a tarp, make sure if it rains you set up in an area with good drainage - I've had a lot of experience with a tarp and even then one time set up in the wrong place - got back to my camp during a downpoor and everything was floating Doyle brings up an important point about the skeeters...you can carry a no-see-um 'den' to hang under your tarp, or use a little bug bivy. I personally prefer to hang the den thing as its much more comfortable. When it comes to weight though - depending on which you prefer - when these things start adding up they weigh close to some of the tents made today (one trip I carried a bivy for wind protection, a tarp/poncho, a bug net, and ground cloth - adding up to near the weight of my tent) - but they are a heck of a lot cheaper - nowadays I almost always opt for my lightweight tent because of this, although I do miss the openness of the tarp (as long as its not windy).

A bivy sack might work better than a tarp. My bivy sack has a big netted opening and a hoop around the head area.

REI has a decent bivy for $99. It has mesh around the head area to keep mosquitoes and bears out.

http://www.rei.com/product/731432?vcat=REI_SEARCH

I wouldn't recommend going tentless, not because of the mosquitoes but because of the possibility of rain. The (theoretically) normal weather pattern is no rain at night, but you get a front in and it rains more or less non-stop--you're not going to want just a tarp or a bivy sack at that point.

I sleep without a tent whenever weather allows, mosquitoes or no. It's much nicer to have the stars to look up at.

Keeps the bears out too? That's some good mesh!! You're too funny.

It has mesh around the head area to keep mosquitoes and bears out.

This bivy sack, not to be confused with Ursack, has not been approved by SIBBG

I'd go with the Tarp. Shed the pounds and it's more versatile. If you are worried about skeets then take trailblazer's advice or opt for a cheap headnet